Devices and methods for performing procedures on a breast
A guide element is used to guide a cutting device when removing breast tissue. The cutting device may have a tissue collection element for collecting tissue. The tissue collection element may be detachable so that the collection element may be removed independent from the cutting device.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/732,670, filed Dec. 9, 2003, and a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/272,448, filed Oct. 16, 2002, and a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/796,328, filed Mar. 8, 2004, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/417,520, filed Oct. 13, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,081, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/146,743, filed Sep. 3, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,362, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONBreast cancer is a major threat and concern to women. Early detection and treatment of suspicious or cancerous lesions in the breast has been shown to improve long term survival of the patient. The trend is, therefore, to encourage women not only to perform monthly self-breast examination and obtain a yearly breast examination by a qualified physician, but also to undergo annual screening mammography commencing at age 40. Mammography is used to detect small, nonpalpable lesions which may appear opaque densities relative to normal breast parenchyma and fat or as clusters of microcalcifications. The conventional method for diagnosing, localizing and excising nonpalpable lesions detected by mammography generally involves a time-consuming, multi-step process. First, the patient goes to the radiology department where the radiologist finds and localizes the lesion either using mammography or ultrasound guidance. Once localized, a radio-opaque wire is inserted into the breast. The distal end of the wire may include a small hook or loop. Ideally, this is placed adjacent to the suspicious area to be biopsied. The patient is then transported to the operating room.
Under general or local anesthesia, the surgeon may then perform a needle-localized breast biopsy. In this procedure, the surgeon, guided by the wire previously placed in the patient's breast, excises a mass of tissue around the distal end of the wire. The specimen is sent to the radiology department where a specimen radiograph is taken to confirm that the suspicious lesion is contained within the excised specimen. Meanwhile, the surgeon, patient, anesthesiologist and operating room staff, wait in the operating room for confirmation of that fact from the radiologist before the operation is completed. The suspicious lesion should then be excised in toto with a small margin or rim of normal breast tissue on all sides. Obtaining good margins of normal tissue using conventional techniques is extremely dependent upon the skill and experience of the surgeon, and often an excessively large amount of normal breast tissue is removed to ensure that the lesion is located within the specimen. This increases the risk of post-operative complications, including bleeding and permanent breast deformity. As 80% of breast biopsies today are benign, many women unnecessarily suffer from permanent scarring and deformity from such benign breast biopsies.
More recently, less invasive techniques have been developed to sample or biopsy the suspicious lesions to obtain a histological diagnosis. The simplest of the newer techniques is to attempt visualization of the lesion by external ultrasound. If seen by external ultrasound, the lesion can be biopsied while being continuously visualized. This technique allows the physician to see the biopsy needle as it actually enters the lesion, thus ensuring that the correct area is sampled. Current sampling systems for use with external ultrasound guidance include a fine needle aspirate, core needle biopsy or vacuum-assisted biopsy devices.
Another conventional technique localizes the suspicious lesion using stereotactic digital mammography. The patient is placed prone on a special table that includes a hole to allow the breast to dangle therethrough. The breast is compressed between two mammography plates, which stabilizes the breast to be biopsied and allows the digital mammograms to be taken. At least two images are taken 30 degrees apart to obtain stereotactic views. The x, y and z coordinates targeting the lesion are calculated by a computer. The physician then aligns a special mechanical stage mounted under the table that places the biopsy device into the breast to obtain the sample or samples using fine needle aspiration, core needle biopsy, vacuum-assisted core needle biopsy or other suitable method. Fine needle aspiration uses a small gauge needle, usually 20 to 25 gauge, to aspirate a small sample of cells from the lesion or suspicious area. Core needle biopsy uses a larger size needle, usually 14 gauge to sample the lesion. Tissue architecture and histology are preserved with this method. Multiple penetrations of the core needle through the breast and into the lesion are required to obtain an adequate sampling of the lesion. Over 10 samples have been recommended by some. The vacuum-assisted breast biopsy system is a larger semi-automated side-cutting device. It is usually 11 gauge in diameter and is more sophisticated than the core needle biopsy device. Multiple large samples can be obtained from the lesion without having to reinsert the needle each time. A vacuum is added to suck the tissue into the trough. The rapid firing action of the spring-loaded core needle device is replaced with an oscillating outer cannula that cuts the breast tissue off in the trough. The physician controls the speed at which the outer cannula advances over the trough and can rotate the alignment of the trough in a clockwise fashion to obtain multiple samples.
If a fine needle aspirate, needle core biopsy or vacuum-assisted biopsy shows malignancy or a specific benign diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia, then the patient needs to undergo another procedure, the traditional needle-localized breast biopsy, to fully excise the area with an adequate margin of normal breast tissue. Sometimes the vacuum-assisted device removes the whole targeted lesion. If this occurs, a small titanium clip should be placed in the biopsy field. This clip marks the area if a needle-localized breast biopsy is subsequently required for the previously mentioned reasons.
Another method of biopsying the suspicious lesion utilizes a large end-cutting core device measuring 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm in diameter. This also uses the stereotactic table for stabilization and localization. After the lesion coordinates are calculated and local anesthesia instilled, an incision large enough is permit entry of the bore is made at the entry site with a scalpel. The breast tissue is cored down to and past the lesion. Once the specimen is retrieved, the patient is turned onto her back and the surgeon cauterizes bleeding vessels under direct vision. The incision, measuring 0.5 to larger than 2.0 cm is sutured closed. The newer conventional minimally invasive breast biopsy devices have improved in some ways the ability to diagnose mammographically detected nonpalpable lesions. These devices give the patient a choice as to how she wants the diagnosis to be made.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one aspect of the present invention, a tissue cutting device having an elongate cutting element is advanced adjacent to tissue to be removed. The cutting element is then expanded and moved through the breast tissue to cut the breast tissue. The tissue is then removed using another device which may be introduced through a separate penetration in the breast. An advantage of this procedure is that the user may select one site for introduction of the cutting device while another site would be better suited for removal of the tissue. The removal incision may be partially or completely created by the cutting element or may be created by the removal device.
The tissue cutting device may also encapsulate the tissue in a tissue collection element. The tissue collection element may be releasable so that it can be removed through a separate incision. The collection element and removal element may engage one another with a mechanical or magnetic connection or may use suction to adhere the removal element to the collection element.
The present invention is also directed to a cutting device having a cutting element which bows outwardly when in the expanded position. The cutting element moves generally in a first plane when moving between the collapsed and expanded positions. The cutting device may also have an asymmetrical shaft with a first thickness and a second thickness relative to the central axis of the shaft. The first and second thicknesses lie in a second plane which is generally parallel to the first plane with the second thickness being at least 1.25 or even at least 1.5 times larger than the first thickness with the side of the shaft having the second thickness leading the cutting element during rotation. Stated another way, the shaft may be at least 1.25 times thicker, or even at least 1.5 times thicker, on a leading side than on a trailing side as defined by the direction of rotation of the cutting element.
The present invention is also directed to a method of cutting tissue using a guide element. The guide element guides introduction and advancement of the cutting device. The guide element also may indicate a cutting parameter such as an indication of a depth of penetration during the advancing step or one or more angular positions relative to the axis of rotation or longitudinal axis of the guide element. The guide element may also be secured to the tissue using a suitable anchor such as barbs, an adhesive strip or an inflatable element on the guide.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the tissue cutting element is marked at a first location corresponding to a position on the cutting element where an apex occurs when the cutting element is bowed outwardly. The marker, such as an ultrasound marker, helps the user to identify where the apex of the cutting element will be when the cutting element expands since the middle of the cutting element does not necessarily become the apex of the cutting element when expanded.
In another aspect of the present invention, a guide element is introduced into the breast and is used to guide a device such as a tissue cutting device or a tissue removal device. The guide element may provide indications as to the area of the breast tissue to be removed. For example, the guide element may have depth markers or may have the indicators described above which mark angular positions. The guide element may also constrain the cutting device with a longitudinal stop and one or more angular stops which prevent rotation beyond one or more angular positions. When removing tissue, the cutting device may also have a collection element, such as a bag, which collects the severed tissue for removal.
The present invention is also directed to a method and device for removing tissue from a breast by excising the breast tissue using a tissue cutter extending through one incision and then removing the excised tissue through a separate incision. The removal device may be a vacuum device or other suitable device for grasping the tissue. In another aspect, the tissue may be contained in a tissue collection element. The collection element may have a tether which is used to help retrieve the collection element and tissue.
The cutting element and shaft may cooperate to facilitate parting off the excised tissue to complete the cut. The cutting element moves generally in a first plane relative to the shaft when expanding. The shaft is preferably thicker on the leading side of the shaft, which leads the cutting element during rotation, than on the trailing side of the shaft. For example, the thicker part of the shaft may be within the first 90 degrees on the leading side so that the thicker part of the shaft lies just ahead of the cutting element during rotation.
In another aspect of the present invention, a guide member is used to introduce and guide the cutting device. The guide member may be fixed in position to hold the angular orientation or depth of penetration of the guide member to guide the cutting device. The guide member may also have a window which further limits and defines the cutting procedure.
The cutting device may also have ultrasound markers which are used to position and locate the device before and during the cutting procedure. A first marker on the cutting element corresponds to a position on the cutting element where an anticipated apex occurs when the cutting element is bowed outwardly. The guide member may also have a marker corresponding to the anticipated longitudinal position of the apex of the cutting element so that the guide member may be positioned appropriately.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to
The needle 2 may also have one or more indicators 14 to mark an angular position relative to the longitudinal axis 16 of the needle 2. The indicator 14 extends radially outward from the needle at a angle selected by the user. The indicator 14 may also simply be a longitudinal stripe 18 or other marking on the shaft which indicates a particular angular orientation on the needle 2. The indicator 14 may provide information to the user regarding various parameters depending upon the procedure being performed. For example, when using the device 6 described above, the angular position, or positions, provides the user with the angular extent of the tissue to be removed.
The indicators 14 may be coupled to one more anchors 20 which are deployed to anchor the needle 2. The anchor 20 is preferably curved, such as J- or C-shaped, and extends radially to lie within the same angular orientation as the indicator 14. An advantage of coupling the indicator 14 to the anchor 20 is that anchor 20 itself provides information regarding the relative orientation or the needle 2, anchor 20 and tissue area of interest. Thus, the anchor 20 itself may be one of the indicators 14. Although the anchor 20 and indicator 14 are preferably aligned at the same angular orientation, they may also be offset to account for the geometry of other devices used with the needle 2. As can be appreciated, of course, the indicators 14 may also be independent of any anchoring elements. For example, the needle 2 may be placed in the breast and the indicators 14 could then be moved to selected angular position(s). The needle 2 may also have depth markers 22 along the body. The anchor 20 is preferably a stainless steel wire having a sharpened tip to pierce through the tissue. The orientation of the anchor 20 is partially guided by the geometry of the arc-shaped lumens (not shown) receiving the anchors 20.
Use of the device is now described in connection with a tissue removal procedure with reference to
The stiffener 4 is then removed to provide the flexible proximal portion. The flexible proximal portion may be taped to the patient to prevent inadvertent contact as shown in
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- An incision into tissue is made with a blade;
- The physician then inserts the assembly including the trocar 1102 into the tissue and pushes the combination introducer and suction sleeve 902 into the tissue through the incision into position under or near the lesion or targeted site within the tissue. The pointed and/or sharp distal tip 1104 of the trocar 1102 and the tapered profile of the combination introducer and suction sleeve 902 aid the assembly's advancement within the tissue;
- The trocar 1102 may then be removed from the combination introducer and suction sleeve 902 and a desired (excisional RF, for example) device may then be inserted therethrough, with the shaft thereof disposed within and protruding from the internal lumen 916;
- The combination introducer and suction sleeve 902 may then be pulled back until it contacts, snaps and/or otherwise locks onto the device, as shown at
FIGS. 12 and 13 . InFIGS. 12 and 13 , only the handle 102 of the device is shown, and the shaft 104 thereof is omitted for clarity of illustration. Examples of a tissue cutting device coupled to the combination introducer and suction sleeve 902 coupled thereto is shown inFIG. 14 ; - A vacuum line, such as shown at 116, may then be attached to the suction port 908;
- If needed, the device with the combination introducer and suction sleeve 902 attached thereto may then be repositioned at, near, under or within the target lesion, as desired. This repositioning may be carried out under ultrasound guidance, for example. The openings 906 may aid with the ultrasound visualization. The combination may include other features and/or markings to increase the visibility thereof under various imaging modalities, and
- The physician may then continue with the intended procedure as per the instructions for use of the device utilized.
Alternatively, the trocar 1102 may be removed from the combination introducer and suction sleeve 902 and the desired RF device introduced and locked therein. The distal tip of the desired RF device protruding from the distal end of the combination introducer and suction sleeve 902 may then be used to reach the intended biopsy site.
Alternately still, a stopcock may be attached to the suction port 908 instead of the suction line 116 and one or more beneficial agents (e.g., antibiotics, fibrin, lidocaine) may be delivered to a target site through the openings 906.
The present combination vacuum sleeve and suction sleeve 902 may aid in positioning a biopsy or other interventional device where it is needed. For example, interventional devices that include a rather bulky or high-drag distal end may be readily positioned at the intended site by means of the introducer functionality of the combination 902. While the combination 902 is advantageous before the biopsy or other interventional procedure is started by easing the positioning of the biopsy instrument at or near the target site, it is also useful during the procedure itself, as it is effective in evacuating hot gasses and fluids from the biopsy cavity, thereby decreasing collateral tissue thermal damage. The same combination may then also be used to treat the cavity post-procedure by, for example, providing a ready-made pathway for the introduction of beneficial agents, compositions and/or cavity treatment devices to the cavity or lesion site.
Referring now to
The guide member 202 has a tubular body 206 and a removable penetrating element 208 having a sharp tip 210 for piercing tissue during introduction. The guide member 202 also has a port 212 coupled to a vacuum source 214 for removing hot gasses generated during cutting. The penetrating element 208 has a shaft 216 extending through a lumen 217 in the guide member 202. The guide member 202 may include one or more anchors 218 which holds the guide member 202 at the desired position. The anchor 218 may simply be an adhesive strip 220 which the user peels away from the body and adheres to the skin. The anchor 218 may also be another suitable anchor such as one or more needles 221 which are advanced into the tissue. The anchors 218 help to resist movement of the guide member 202 so that the guide member 220 may be used to guide longitudinal and even rotational positioning of the cutting device 204 as explained herein. Referring to
After the guide member 202 has been introduced to the desired depth, the penetrating element 208 is then removed and the tissue cutting device 204 is introduced and advanced into the guide member 220 (
Referring again to
Referring now to
The shaft 240 may be formed in any suitable manner. Referring to
Use of the system 200 is now described with reference again to
Once the guide member 202, 202A has been positioned properly relative to the desired cutting operation the tissue penetrating element 208 may be removed and the cutting device 204 is introduced into the guide member 202. The guide member 202 is then retracted a predetermined amount so that the guide member 202 is properly positioned to remove hot gases generated during RF cutting as described above. When using the guide member 202A having the cutting window 226, the guide member does not, of course, need to be retracted.
The cutting device 204 is then used to cut around the tissue to be removed. The tissue may be removed in a tissue collection element 10 (see
Referring now to
To accommodate the removable transducer core 400, the excisional device 100 of
In
A number of peripheral devices may be connected to the assembly 600. Examples of such include a core power source 480, which may be, for example, an electrical source for an ultrasound transducer, one or more data processing and display devices 550 on which the internal structure of the tissue imaged by the active element 440 of the core 400 may be displayed, suction means 490, a cutting tool power source (a variable RF energy source, for example or any suitable RF power source found in most operating rooms), and/or other devices 590. The suction device 490 may provide a suction force to the window 120 through an internal lumen to facilitate cutting of the tissue by the cutting tool 125. Any other suitable cutting or excisional device may be used in connection with the present invention such as those described in copending application Ser. No. 10/272,452, filed Oct. 16, 2002, which has been incorporated herein by reference.
The vacuum means may be associated with the cutting tool 125 (
The tissue removal device 300 may be introduced through the same incision as the tissue cutting device 204 or may be introduced through a different incision. For example, the user may choose to introduce the cutting device 204 based primarily on the desired orientation of the cutting device 200 relative to the tissue area being removed. The user may then choose the removal incision based on other factors such as proximity to the skin or for cosmetic considerations. Referring to
Referring to
When removing the tissue, the tissue may be contained within a tissue collection element 320 released by the cutting device 204 when the tissue is severed or which is deployed by itself after excision of the tissue. The tissue collection element 320 may simply trail the cutting element 205 similar to the patents and applications incorporated by reference herein in which the tissue collection element remains coupled to the device.
Referring still to
Referring to
The tissue cutting device 204 may also mark the tissue sample and/or the tissue surrounding the tissue sample as shown in
The present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments, however, it is understood that many alternatives are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A method of removing tissue from a breast, comprising the steps of:
- providing a tissue cutting device having a shaft and an elongate cutting element coupled to the shaft and movable from a retracted position to an expanded position, the cutting element being an elongate element which bows outward in the expanded position;
- advancing the tissue cutting device adjacent to tissue to be removed and without penetrating a tissue area that is to be removed;
- expanding the cutting element toward the expanded position;
- moving the cutting element through the breast tissue to cut the breast tissue, the cutting element being moved around the tissue volume of interest to create a peripheral margin around the tissue area;
2. The method of claim 1, wherein:
- the providing step is carried out with the cutting element being an RF energized thin wire.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein:
- the removing step is carried out with the tissue volume being removed with vacuum device.
4. A method of removing breast tissue, comprising the steps of:
- providing a tissue cutting device having a shaft and a cutting element, the cutting element being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position;
- introducing the tissue cutting device into the patient's breast through a first incision with the cutting element in the collapsed position;
- expanding the cutting element;
- moving the cutting element through breast tissue to cut around the tissue to be removed; and
- removing the breast tissue through a second incision different from the first incision.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein:
- the providing step is carried out with the tissue removing device having a tissue collection element; and
- the removing step being carried out with the tissue being carried in the tissue collection element.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein:
- the providing step is carried out with the cutting element being an RF cutting element, the RF cutting element bowing outward when moving from the first position to the second position.
7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:
- the forming step is carried out with the second incision being at least partially formed by the tissue cutting device.
8. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:
- forming at least part of the second incision with the cutting element.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein:
- the forming step is carried out with the second incision being formed by the tip of the tissue cutting device piercing through the skin at the second incision so that the tissue cutting device is penetrates the first and second incisions.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein:
- the forming step is carried out with the second incision being created by the cutting element of the tissue cutting device.
11. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:
- encapsulating the tissue to be removed in a tissue collection element; and
- the removing step is carried out with the tissue contained in the tissue collection element.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:
- releasing the tissue collection element; and
- the removing step being carried out with the tissue contained within the tissue collection element when removed through the second incision.
13. A method of removing breast tissue, comprising the steps of:
- providing a tissue cutting device having a shaft, a tissue collection element and a cutting element, the cutting element being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position;
- introducing the tissue cutting device into the patient's breast through a first incision with the cutting element in the collapsed position;
- expanding the cutting element;
- moving the cutting element through breast tissue to cut around the tissue to be removed;
- positioning the tissue cut by the cutting element into the tissue collection element; and
- removing the tissue collection element through a second incision different from the first incision.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein:
- the removing step is carried out with a removal device extending through the second incision, the removal step including the step of coupling the removal device to the tissue collection element.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein:
- the removing step is carried out with the removal device has a distal end movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position, the expanded position being flared outwardly.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein:
- the removing step is carried out with the removal device having a suction opening coupled to a vacuum source, the removal device adhering to the tissue collection element with the suction opening.
17-72. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 20, 2004
Publication Date: Jun 2, 2005
Patent Grant number: 7517348
Applicant: RUBICOR MEDICAL, INC. (Redwood City, CA)
Inventors: James Vetter (Portola Valley, CA), Sean Daniel (Foster City, CA)
Application Number: 10/923,511